


Dread shared

by Port_in_a_Storm



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Hospital, M/M, October Super Soap Week, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-24 15:37:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8377681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Port_in_a_Storm/pseuds/Port_in_a_Storm
Summary: Adam makes the phonecall from the ambulance. Chas reacts, and so does Cain.Prompted by theredandwhitequeen on tumblrChapter two - the Dingles find out that Robert saved Aaron's life, risking his own in the process





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you guys so so much for the amazing response for the fics I uploaded a couple days ago! Your kudos and kind words mean the world to me :)
> 
> This fic was prompted by theredandwhitequeen, who asked for "The phone call Adam made in the ambulance from Chas and Liv's point of view plus the dingles finding out like Cain." Hope this is what you were looking for, love. Happy reading!

‘Alright, sis?’ Cain hugged her, and Chas returned it half-heartedly. She had made no qualms in showing her disappointment and anger at him and Charity flaunting their new relationship around (according to Vic and Diane) right under Moira’s nose. ‘How’s Belle?’

‘Improving,’ Chas said. ‘Still not the girl we used to know, but she’s a bit better.’

She caught the handles of her cases, about to carry them upstairs - or more likely get her brother to carry them for her- when her phone rang. She frowned when she saw Adam’s name. Her immediate thought was that something had happened to Moira.

‘Hello?’

‘Chas... it’s Aaron.’

‘Aaron?’ 

Cain looked up and gave her a questioning stare. Her hand was shaking already. 

‘What’s wrong? What happened?’

‘Chas you just... just get to the hospital, alright?’ 

He hung up before she could ask anything else. Her knees shook and threatened to give way. Cain grabbed her by the elbow, hauling her upright. ‘Chas? What’s happened?’

‘I-it’s Aaron. They had to take him to hospital.’

‘What? Why?’

‘I don’t _know_ Cain!’ she wiped her eyes. They had instantly filled with tears. ‘I need to go. I… Liv. Is she home?’

‘Yeah. I think so. D’you want me to tell anyone?’ Cain shouted as his sister rushed upstairs. 

‘Tell the whole flamin’ pub, Cain! I don’t care!’ She stopped outside Liv’s door and knocked on it loud enough to wake the dead. ‘Liv! We need to go, come on!’ The young girl emerged from her room, eyes red and narrowed from a nap. ‘Aaron’s been taken to hospital. Get your coat.’

‘Aaron? What happened?’

‘I don’t know, love. Adam called me. Just get your coat.’

Cain was still at the bottom of the stairs when she and Liv hurried back down. ‘Chas—’

‘I don’t have time, Cain!’ she interrupted, her voice high and shrill. ‘Just… tell anyone. Marlon, Sammy, I don’t care.’

‘I was going to say—’ he said, grabbing her arm for a second. ‘Tell him I’m thinkin’ of him.’

She stared at him for a moment, then nodded. ‘Okay.’ She checked her pockets for the keys and opened the back door, letting an agitated Liv leave first. At the last second, Chas turned back to her brother and without having to ask, he hugged her tight. 

‘He’ll be okay, sis. He’ll be okay.’

‘He’d bloody better be.’

****

As soon as they’d gone, Cain pinched the bridge of his nose and let his emotions show. That boy… if anything happened to him…

‘Cain?’ Charity froze when she saw him. ‘What’s up?’

‘Our, uh,’ he cleared his throat. ‘Our Aaron’s been rushed to hospital,’ he managed. Charity’s eyes widened and she put a hand to her open mouth. ‘Don’t know what for, but… Adam called Chas. Told her to get herself to hospital.’ His voice turned suddenly hoarse. He revelled in Charity’s warm arms around him, nudging his head into her neck. He drew back and pulled his phone out of his pocket. ‘She told me to tell the family.’

‘Yeah, well sit down for a second. Have a drink to calm down.’ When he shook his head, she snatched the phone out of his hand. ‘Aaron will still be in the hospital whether you tell everyone now or later. So sit down, have a drink, and get yourself together first.’ He opened his mouth to object again, but she gestured forcefully to the sofa.

He looked through his contacts whilst Charity went into the kitchen. Lisa was the first on his recently contacted list, but with Belle in hospital, he didn’t want to lay this at her feet as well. Sam was next, and he toyed with pressing the call button.

‘Thought I told you to leave it for a bit?’ Charity admonished. She took the phone from his hand again and replaced it with a glass of scotch. 

Cain ran his hands through his hair. ‘Where was he even going today? How’d he get injured?’

Charity shook her head. ‘I dunno. I think Vic said something about Robert takin’ him somewhere.’

‘Sugden?’ Cain clenched his fists. ‘If he’s responsible… I’ll flamin’ kill him.’

‘Alright, calm down, Punisher. Do you honestly think Robert would ever let any harm come to that boy?’

‘Bad luck seems to follow him around, doesn’t it?’

‘Bit like me and you then, eh?’ she smiled at him until he shook his head fondly and took a gulp of the scotch. She put the phone on the table. ‘Marlon’s away camping with Leo and Paddy, so you may want to leave tellin’ him ‘til last.’

Cain nodded, looking down into the amber liquid. He swirled the drink around in the glass, one ear on Charity leave the room. He gulped down the remaining mouthful, got up and poured himself another and then picked up his phone. ‘Sammy? Listen, keep this to yourself for a bit, I don’t want Lisa worryin’…’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dingles find out that Robert risked his life to save Aaron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your amazing comments on the first chapter. This was going to be a standalone, until Nikki asked for a little follow-up, so here it is :) Hope you enjoy, and happy reading!

When Chas returned to the pub late that night, it was to a full house. Cain had evidently called the whole family, and there they were taking up space in the back room. As soon as she walked through the door, she was enveloped in Lisa’s warm, solid embrace. ‘Oh, love. Cain called us! How is he?’

‘Did he make it through?’ Sam asked, clearly picking up on the lax features on her face. ‘Cain just told us what Marlon knew: that there’d been a crash.’

‘Marlon?’ Chas questioned.

Zak nodded. ‘Aye, love. Paddy was injured as well.’

Chas stumbled back a step, but was halted somewhat by Liv’s hand on her elbow. ‘Paddy? What happened? Is he alright?’

‘He’s fine, love,’ her uncle reassured her. ‘His arm’s in a sling but not much else.’

She relaxed somewhat and smiled Liv, who returned it reassuringly. 

‘So I’m guessin’ that Aaron’s alright then,’ Charity said. ‘If your main concern was for Paddy just then.’

‘He’s not my _main concern_. But yes, Aaron is fine. Thank God.’

Lisa directed both Chas and Liv to the sofa, Cain making space for them, and Sam moving to one of the dining room chairs. ‘What happened? Was it the same crash?’

‘Yeah, it was. Couldn’t make us a cuppa could you? It’s been a hell of a long day.’ Zak went into the kitchen and put the kettle on, but kept one ear on the conversation. ‘Apparently their car went off the road and into the lake.’ Lisa gasped and put a hand to her mouth. Charity’s eyes widened. ‘Him and Robert were in the car; Aaron was driving.’

‘Robert said they swerved to avoid another car,’ Liv said. It was the first words she had spoken since they left the hospital, both of them in a daze from the drama of the evening. Chas put a comforting hand on her knee. Zak came back to the living room, two cups of strong, sweetened tea in his hands for the girls. 

‘How did they get out?’ Lisa asked, sounding almost afraid to voice the question.

Chas took a deep breath, then let it out in one sharp, disbelieving exhale. ‘Robert,’ she said. ‘Robert… saved my boy.’ She sniffed and raised her eyes to the ceiling as she felt the tears coming on again.

Cain looked taken aback. ‘Sugden saved him?’

‘Yeah,’ Liv said. ‘Adam told us as well: said that Robert had already got Aaron out of the car when he dove into the lake to try and find them.’ She looked down at her hands. ‘He’s not all bad,’ she murmured.

Chas took her hands in hers. ‘No, he isn’t, love.’

Cain shook his head. ‘Still can’t believe—are you sure you got your story right? Sugden saved him?’

‘He risked his life to save my son,’ Chas replied with a sharp edge to her tone they didn’t often hear. ‘He may be many things, Cain, but he’s in love with Aaron. He said he wasn’t leaving the car without him.’

Silence engulfed the room as the enormity of the statement sunk in. Each person was trying to imagine Robert: conceited, selfish, arrogant Robert flippin’ Sugden risking his life to save Aaron’s.

‘The boy deserves to be welcomed to the family after that,’ Zak said. The Dingles nodded humbly. ‘I know we’ve all had our doubts about him, but he’s really come through for our Aaron.’

Cain nodded as well; a far off look was in his eye. ‘Never knew what Aaron saw in him to be honest. Self-centred, cared way too much about money in my opinion.’ Chas snorted a small laugh at that, but softened when Cain directed a look her way. ‘But we can’t deny his heart’s in the right place when it comes to Aaron.’

Liv was beaming. ‘Robert went back to the lake to get the ring as well.’ She gasped when she realised the secret she had let out, but Chas smiled and put her arm around her shoulder.

‘Ring?’ Sam asked.

‘An engagement ring,’ Chas said.

‘Oh my god!’ Lisa yelped. ‘He dove back to the lake to get it?’ When Chas nodded, she pressed a hand to her chest. ‘Oh, how romantic! Tell me the lad said yes!’

‘He did,’ Chas said. ‘Then he passed out.’ But she smiled and they knew that she left the hospital knowing that he was going to be okay. ‘You know our Aaron: always in it for the drama.’

Lisa gushed a little more about the romantic gesture, and Zak and Sam agreed that Robert saving Aaron’s life was something that had to be rewarded with some kind of Dingle knees-up. Chas and Liv just smiled all the way through. They left soon after, and Liv went to her room; Chas knew that the worry had taken it out of her, and she was more than ready to accept Liv not going to school tomorrow if the girl asked. Charity went to bed as well, and then it was just Cain and Chas.

She sat next to him and looked pointedly at the empty glass which had held his scotch. ‘Worrying then, were you?’

‘’Course I was worryin’. What do you take me for? You know I see Aaron as my own.’

‘I know you do. And I also know that you weren’t a big fan of Robert.’

Cain raised his eyebrows. ‘He’s alright. Wouldn’t have picked him for our Aaron, but… well, he came through during the trial didn’t he?’

‘He came through tonight as well, Cain,’ Chas said softly. ‘If he hadn’t been there, or if he didn’t love Aaron the way he does I could have lost my boy.’

‘I know, Chas. It’s not something I expected to hear, but… I know.’ He nodded at her. ‘Sounds like you’ve accepted him.’

‘I accepted him a little while ago,’ she said. ‘Just didn’t know it, I suppose. But knowing that he risked his life for Aaron… that kind of endeared me to him.’ She smiled and he returned it after a moment. 

Cain poured himself a final glass of scotch and downed it. He held the bottle out for Chas, who nodded and he poured another for her. ‘So. Another Dingle wedding, eh?’

‘Oh, don’t! I’m gonna be a nervous wreck!’ She leaned against her brother’s shoulder and sighed happily. ‘Can’t believe he’s going to get married, Cain. This year… well, it was one of the worst starts ever. But now look at him. And I know it took me a while to come to terms with it, but part of that is down to Robert.’

Cain nodded. ‘Yeah. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?’ he said. When she made a soft sound of confusion, he added, ‘Where fighting for someone will get you.’

**Author's Note:**

> Come have a nosy on tumblr!: [Port in a Storm](http://www.portinastorm.tumblr.com)


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